Forge tongs



March 1964 T. WUPPERMANN ETAL 3,126,770

FORGE TONGS 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Original Filed July 24; 1951 INVENTORJ 7Z2 adar Va n nrlfkni' fer March 31, 1964 T. WUPPERMANN ETAL FORGE TONGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 24, 1951 FIG. 2

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A '777 will vii/1 INVENTOKS Tb adar A/u o anrm -nn United States Patent 3,126,770 FORGE TONGS Theodor Wuppermann, Mulheimer Strasse 14, Lever-kusen-Schlebusch, Germany, and Ernst Miiller, Ziegler Strasse 57, Duisburg, Germany Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 238,202, July 24, 1951. This application Apr. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 24,810. In Germany Mar. 17, 1949 Public Law 619, Aug. 23, 1954 Patent expires Mar. 17, 1969 14 Claims. (Cl. 78-96) The invention relates to mechanically operated forge tongs, by means of which large ingots are lifted, turned and shifted when forged out in presses by hammers, and the like. By means of such forge tongs, which are also known as manipulators, it is possible to work forgings at considerably higher speed than was hitherto possible using forge-cranes and other devices for handling the forgings.

This application is a continuation of application 238,- 202 filed July 24, 1951, now abandoned, entitled Forge Tongs,

The forge-tongs which move on rails and can be moved forwardly and backwardly in the direction of the axis of forging must permit of a Wide diversity of movements of the tongs, for example, the opening and closing of the jaws gripping the forging, a parallel lifting movement, a lowering and tilting of the tongs in the vertical plane, a lateral parallel shifting as well as a tilting of the tongs in the horizontal plane, and turning of the ingot.

The disadvantage of the known manipulators consists in that the different movements require complicated drives. This applies particularly to the drives for turning or rotating the tongs and for the forward and backward movements. It is necessary to regulate the speed of, and stop, these movements as required according to the different operation, so that large and expensive variablespeed motors and slipping couplings are essential. The complicated drives result in high costs of production, and frequently breakdowns during operation. This applies even to mechanically driven tongs, in which the inclination of the tongs-holder may be varied by hydraulic means, because such tongs are also provided with electric variable speed motors for the undercarriage and for the device for handling the ingot, and have a special electric motor for each type of movement.

In contrast thereto, the forge-tongs according to the invention are distinguished by a simple and robust construction of the driving gear. The forge tongs according to the invention have only a single driving motor which drives a pump for conveying the liquid into an accumulator charged with compressed air, and from which all cylinders for carrying out the different piston movements are fed as required by means of a control device.

The different movements, particularly the movement of turning the ingot and the travelling movement are regulated in simple manner by regulating the feed of the pressure liquid to the corresponding cylinders. Variable speed motors are dispensed with. The liquid is con trolled centrally from a control panel, a control tower, or the like, to which all hydraulic cylinders are connected, and which is provided with only one common feed conduit for the pressure means, and one common conduit for the waste water.

Furthermore, the invention relates to the construction of the simple hydraulic driving gear and the machine frame as hereinafter described.

The hydraulically operated tongs are supplemented by a supporting frame which is erected at the rear of the press of the hammer and is connected to the tongs; is adjustable in height; is connected to the tongs-carrier by means of lever rods, and shares in the lifting movements of the tongs in the vertical plane.

One construction of forge-tongs according to the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows the plant simplified and in part section,

FIGURE 2 illustrates the manipulator partly is section, while FIGURE 3 illustrates a cross-section along the line cd of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a part section along the line a-b of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 shows as an alternative construction a plan view of a reversing gear,

FIGURE 6 is a part view along the line e] of FIG- URE 1.

Referring to the drawings, the ingot 2 is forged in'the hydraulic press 1. So as to hold it correctly according to the requirements and progress of the forging operations, and to bring it into the correct position, it is clamped by means of the jaws 3a and 4a to the co-ordinated angle levers 3 and 4. The closing movement of the angle levers 3, 4 respectively about their pivots 6, 7 is effected in known manner through the rod 8 operated by the piston 9 moving in the cylinder 10. The spring 11 serves for opening the levers 3, 4 by moving the rod 8 when pressure on the piston is released.

The levershaft 5 is movable in several directions, is mounted to rotate in the holder 12 and formed at the end with a pinion 13. The pinion 13 is rotated by the rack 14, on which are mounted pistons 15 and 16 (FIG- URE 3) movable in cylinders 17 and 18 which are secured to the holder 12. When one or other of the cylinders 17 or 18 is supplied with pressure liquid, the rack 14 moves to the right or to the left thus rotating the levershaft 5 by means of the pinion 13. In this way the ingot 2 is turned.

According to the required forging operation, the turning of the ingot may be quick or slow, which control may be effected by ordinary control of the pressure liquid feed through a valve, a slide or the like. The driving means in the form of cylinders and pistons are the most simple conceivable, so that a drive results which is clear, simple and robust, and unlikely to be subject to faults. Thus by means of the hydraulic control the ingot may be quickly set into motion or quickly stopped as required, and can be held secure in one position.

The holder 12 with the cylinders 17 and 18, are mounted, through ball-and-socket joints 19 (FIGURES 3 and 4) in the tie-rods 20, each of which is supported on a column of rubber discs 21 within a socket fitting 22. At the top, the sockets 22 are suspended through ball and socket joints 23, from the levers or arms 24 of two axles 25. Each of the two axles 25 is held in bearings 26 provided at the front and rear ends of the machine frame. The holder 12 is supported by means of the resilient intermediate discs 21 between the tie rods 20 and sockets 22, and by means of the ball-and-socket joints 19 and 23, so that no inadmissible stresses occur in the manipulator.

For moving the ingot in the vertical plane, the levers 24 and the shafts 25 are swung by pistons 30 moving in cylinders 31, through piston rods 32 and levers 33. The lever of the holder 12 is thus adjusted. The two axles 25 may be adjusted separately by means of their co-ordinated cylinders 31 and pistons 36. It is thus possible either to lift or to lower the holder 12 in a direction paral lel to itself, or to cause it to swing in the vertical plane, so that the ingot 2 is supported in an upwardly or downwardly sloping position on the lower anvil of the press. For increasing the resilience of the holder 12 when the ingot is subjected to pressure on the lower anvil of the It?) press, the cylinder 31 is connected by means of a pipe conduit 37 to an air-bottle 35 in which the air is separated from the liquid by means of the piston 36. The air pressure and the position of the piston 36 are determined by the extent of the load moment acting on the levershaft 5.

During forging operations it is frequently desirable also to impart a lateral movement ,to the ingot, either for lateral displacement or for tilting. This lateral mobility may be obtained in a very simple manner by constructing axles 25 at both ends, at '40, as cylinders, into which extend pistons 42 which are held permanently in position by means of brackets 41. If pressure liquid is passed into one cylinder '49 of one only of the axles 25, the relevant axle 25 is displaced to the left or to the right, thus tak ing along with it .the entire suspension 19-24- of the holder 12. If both axles are displaced in the same direct-ion, the forging travels laterally in a direction parallel to itself. If the axles are displaced in the opposite direction, the ingot is adjusted to be inclined in the horizontal direction.

Finally, all parts hitherto described are supported in the machine frame by the axles 25 and the bearings 26. The frame is of approximately U-section and has sidejaws each of which is formed by two metal plates 45 and connecting rod 46. The side-jaws are connected together by welded-in pipes 47, and in addition at the top by the axles 25. The frame may be moved by means of the cylinders 50 and 51, the pistons 52 and 53 of which, alternately drive the undercarriage pinion '56 through racks 54 and 55. The rear axle 57 with wheels 58 is moved by the pinion of the undercarriage. The front wheels 59 may also be driven by an open link chain and sprocket wheel.

As hereinbefore described, all movements of the mechanically operated forge-tongs are produced by ordinary pressure cylinders and controlled by valves or the like. The pressure liquid is produced for all cylinders by means of the only electric motor 60 used in the manipulator according to the invention, which motor drives the highpressure pump 62, through the gear 61. This high-pressure pump 62 feeds the pressure liquid through the conduit 63 to the accumulator 64, 66 which is. constructed as a compressed air accumulator as used in larger highpressure plants. The pressure liquid bottle 64 of the accumulator is connected to the compressed air bot-tie 6 6 by the conduit 65. As illustrated, the pressure bottles may form part of the machine frame, in which case they may then be identical with the pipes 47. However, they may also be inserted as a unit into the pipes 47 so that they are relieved from the stresses of the undercarriage.

From the pump a conduit 68 passes to the central panel 69 which, apart from this central feed line is also provided with a central discharge pipe 70 which leads to the reservoir 71, from which the liquid is again drawn through the conduit 72. The valves 75, which are controlled by hand are combined for all pressure cylinders on the control panel 69;, so that the operator may conveniently and clearly control all movements centrally. At '76 are indicated .the feed pipes to the individual cylinders.

As compared with the known manipulators having electric variable speed motors, the whole. construction of the manipulator is extraordinarily simplified, and made cheaper, .in spite of the demands with regard to adjustability and reliable holding of the ingot, by using the hydraulic cylinders with their simple valve control. The hydraulic drive is also considerably less sensitive to the effects of heat and rough operation than electric regulators. Due to all cylinders being centrally connected to the pump and accumulator plant, the main drive is also considerably simplified, and the motor 60 may be constructedas a permanently running motor without any regulation; it is automatically switched-on when the pressure accumulator is discharged to a determined extent, and automatically switched-off again when it is charged.

The movement of the pistons in the hydraulic cylinders is limited as is the corresponding movement of the ingot. If increased mobility is desired, this may be obtained by means of a reversing gear as illustrated in FIGURE 5. If, for example, the lever-shaft 5 is to be turned to any desired extent in the one direction, instead of the cylinders 17, 18, a pair of cylinders 8i are used, which are provided in parallel with the axis of the tongs, and the pistons 81 of which act through a rack 82 on the pinion 83 which through the bevel wheel '84 drives the two bevel wheels 85 and 86 in opposite directions. These conical wheels can be connected alternately to the lever-shaft 5 by means of coupling claws 87 and .88. When the stroke of one of the pistons 81 is completed, and the movement of the shaft 5 is to be continued in the same direction, the corresponding coupling 87 and S8 is connected, and then the other piston 81, in spite of its movement in the opposite direction, acts on the lever-shaft 5 in the same direction of rotation. This operation can be repeated so that the lever-shaft 5, and thus the ingot may be turned as frequently as desired.

Accordingly, such a reversing gear may also be used, for example for driving the undercarriage so as to obtain a travelling movement of any desired extent.

If the forgings are forged to an appreciable length, as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, it is desirable that they should be supported beyond the press. According to the invention, a movable supporting frame 9t which is driven and controlled by the manipulator, serves for this purpose. This may be effected by providing for the support on the frame 90, consisting preferably of a chain 9-1 (FIGURE 6) or any similar adaptable machine part, to be always on the same level as the levers 3, 4. Advantageously a hydraulic cylinder, which effects the adjustment of height, and which is controlled from the control box 69 as are all the other movements, is provided in the frame 90. A simpler construction is illustrated, in which the frame 99, which moves on the wheels 92 and may be fixed in position, is connected to the front axle 25 through the linkage 93, 94, 9S and the bell crank lever 96. The rod 95 is connected to the lever 96 which acts on a slide 97, which may be adjusted for height, through the rod 98. Thus, if the pressure within the cylinder 31 is altered so that the level of the holder 12 is changed, this movement is also communicated to the slide 97, and thus .to the rear end of the forged-out ingot. In this way, also, by controlling the corresponding valve 75, the levers 3, "4 and supporting frame 97 are moved at the same time and to the same extent. The frame may be connected to the connecting rod of corresponding length which is provided, for example, with corresponding holes 99 for the bolts, at different distances from the press 1.

It is particularly advantageous for all cylinders to be operated by water under pressure, so that no particulardemands are made on the pressure liquid.

What we claim is:

1. A travelling manipulator including a carriage mounted on wheels, two shafts rotatably mounted on said carriage, a cylinder at each end of each of the two shafts, a fixedly mounted ram projecting into each of said cylinders, a lever rigidly mounted on each of said shafts, a piston rod pivoted on each of said levers and integral with a piston mounted within its own cylinders, a pair of arms rigidly mounted on said shafts respectively, resilient suspension means depending from each arm of said pairs of arms, a holder carried in the said suspension means, a shank mounted to rotate in the holder, co-acting jaws pivoted on the shank, a rod connected to said jaws, a piston integral with said rod and mounted in a cylinder, a pressure accumulator mounted on said carriage, a motor and a pump geared to said motor for charging the pressure accumulator, both pump and motor being mounted on the carriage, and valved conduits from the pressure accumulator to each of said cylinders.

2. A travelling manipulator, including a carriage mounted on wheels, two substantially horizontal shafts mounted in bearings on the carriage, resilient suspension means depending from arms integral with said shafts, a shank carried in said suspension means, co-acting jaws pivotally mounted on the shank, a rod connected to said jaws and integral with a piston mounted in a cylinder, means comprising cylinders and pistons to turn the said two shafts, means comprising a piston and cylinder to rotate the shank, means comprising pistons and cylinders to drive the wheels on which the carriage is mounted, a pressure accumulator, a motor geared to a pump for charging the pressure accumulator, a control panel, conduits from each of said cylinders to the control panel, a conduit from the control panel to the pressure accumulator, and a valve in each of said conduits said valves being provided on the control panel.

3. A travelling manipulator comprising a wheeled carriage, a motor mounted on said carriage, a hydraulic pump geared to said motor, a pressure accumulator and a water reservoir in communication with said pump, two substantially horizontal shafts rotatably mounted on the carriage, a cylinder at each end of the two shafts provided with a fixed, externally mounted ram, a resilient cradle depending from each of the two shafts, a lever rigidly mounted on each of the two shafts, a piston pivotally connected to each of said levers, a holder mounted in said suspension means, a shank rotatably mounted in the holder, co-acting jaws pivotally mounted on said shank, a rod connected to said jaws and to a piston, hydraulically actuated means for driving the wheels of the carriage, and valved conduits extending from the pressure accumulator to each of said means and said piston.

4. A travelling manipulator, including a carriage mounted on wheels, a motor on the carriage geared to a pump, a pressure accumulator fed with compressed fluid from the pump, a shank resiliently suspended on the carriage, pressure fluid means to move the shank in a vertical plane, pressure fluid means to move the shank in a horizontal plane, jaws pivoted on the shank, a rod connected to the jaws and to a piston working in a cylinder, pressure fluid means to drive the wheels of the carriage, valved conduits from each of the said means and from the said cylinder to the pressure accumulator and through which pressure fluid is passed to actuate the said means and said piston, a wheeled frame placed forwardly of the carriage, a support-member on the wheeled frame adapted for vertical movement, and means to raise and lower the support-member.

5. A travelling manipulator according to claim 4, in which the means to raise and lower the support-member comprises a cylinder and piston, the piston rod of which is rigidly connected to the support-member, and a valved conduit from the cylinder to the pressure accumulator.

6. A travelling manipulator, including a carriage mounted on wheels, a motor geared to a high pressure pump to pump water from a tank to a hydraulic accumulator, two parrallel shafts mounted in hearings on the carriage, an arm rigidly mounted on each of the shafts, a resiliently suspended cradle depending from transversely spaced portions of the arm of each shaft, a holder carried in the cradles, a shank rotatably mounted in the holder, hydraulically actuated means to rotate the shank, a pair of co-acting jaws pivoted on the shank, an actuating rod connected to the jaws and to a piston mounted in a hydraulic cylinder, a lever rigidly connected to each of the shafts, a separate rod connected to each of the levers, each rod being also connected to its own piston within a hydraulic cylinder whereby each of the shafts may be turned, a hydraulic cylinder mounted at each end of each of the shafts, a fixed externally mounted piston within each of the hydraulic cylinders at the ends of the shafts, conduits from each of the said hydraulic cylinders and from the said hydraulically actuated means to a control panel, a valve in each of the said conduits the valves being located on the control panel, a conduit from the hydraulic accumulator to the control panel and a valved conduit from the control panel to said tank.

7. A travelling manipulator according to claim 6, in which each of the hydraulic cylinders for turning the shafts is provided with a further conduit, the further conduit from each cylinder communicating with the base of a separate air bottle provided with a piston.

8. A travelling manipulator according to claim 6, in which the hydraulically actuated means for rotation of the shank comprises a pinion mounted on the shank, a rack in engagement with the pinion, a piston mounted at each end of the rack, a hydraulic cylinder for each of the two pistons, and a valved conduit from each cylinder to the control panel.

9. A travelling manipulator according to claim 6, in which the hydraulically actuated means for rotation of the shank comprises two bevel gears rotatably mounted in spaced relation on the shank, a clutch for engaging each of the said two bevel gears with the shank, a third bevel gear in engagement with the said two bevel gears and mounted on a stub shaft, a pinion mounted on the stub shaft, two substantially parallel racks in engagement with the pinion, a piston mounted on one end of each rack and provided within its own hydraulic cylinder, and a valved conduit from each cylinder to the control panel.

10. A travelling manipulator according to claim 6, in which hydraulically actuated means provided for rotation of the wheels of the carriage, comprises two bevel gears rotatably mounted in spaced relation on the axle of a pair of wheels, a clutch for engaging each of the said two bevel gears with the axle, a third bevel geartin engagement with the said two bevel gears and mounted on a stub shaft, a pinion mounted on the stub shaft, a rack in engagement with the pinion, a piston mounted at each end of the rack, a cylinder for each piston, and a valved conduit from each cylinder to the control panel.

11. A travelling manipulator according to claim 6, in

which driving means provided for the carriage include cylinder and pistons, the piston rods being formed as racks to engage gears rigidly connected to the wheels of the carriage. 12. A travelling manipulator, including a carriage mounted on wheels, a pressure accumulator on said carriage, jaws pivoted on a shank, a holder in which said shank is mounted to rotate, two shafts mounted on the carriage and from which the holder is suspended, means cooperating with the two shafts and adapted to move the holder in a vertical plane, a cylinder provided at the end of each of the two shafts, fixedly and externally mounted rams projecting into each of said cylinders, means to rotate the shank, means to drive the wheels on which the carriage is mounted, means to open and close said jaws, a motor and a pump geared to the motor for keeping the pressure accumulator charged, and valved conduits from the pressure accumulator to each of said means and said cylinders through which conduits pressure fluid may pass to said means.

13. A travelling manipulator comprising a wheeled chassis; upright side-frame members fixed with said chassis; a pair of parallel horizontal shafts extending transversely with respect to said chassis; bearing means carried by said chassis and supporting said shafts for respective rotation about their axes as well as for respective longitudinal movement along their axes; a pair of arms fixed to and extending from each of said shafts; two arm means connected to and hanging downwardly from each of two said arms; a holder carried by said arm means; a shank rotatably mounted in said holder; coacting jaws pivotally mounted on said shank; a pair of moving means operatively connected with said shafts for respectively turning the latter about their axes; a pair of moving means operatively connected with said shafts for respectively shifting the same longitudinally along their axes; moving means operatively connected with said shank for rotating the same in said holder; and moving means operatively connected with said jaws for actuating the latter.

14. A travelling manipulator, including a carriage mounted on wheels, a motor on said carriage geared to a pump, a pressure accumulator fed with compressed fluid from said pump, a shank resiliently suspended on said carriage, pressure fluid means to move said shank in a vertical plane, pressure fluid means to move said shank in a horizontal plane, jaws pivoted on said shank, a rod connected to said jaws and to a piston working in a cylinder, pressure fluid means to drive the wheels of said carriage, valve conduits from each of said means and from said cylinder to said pressure accumulator and through which pressure fluid is passed to actuate said means and said piston, a wheeled frame placed forwardly of said carriage, a support member on said wheeled frame adapted for vertical movement, and means to raise and lower said support member, said last mentioned means comprising a lever mechanism connected to said support member and to said means for moving said shank in a vertical plane, said lever mechanism serving to move said support member upwardly and downwardly in unison with the vertical movement of said shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 177,326 Foulis May 16, 1876 408,152 Wellmar July 30, 1882 695,604 Franklin Mar. 18, 1902 1,828,762 Brosius Oct. 27, 1931 2,154,038 Everell Apr. 11, 1939 2,257,546 Dienenthal Sept. 30, 1941 2,345,572 Brosius' Apr. 4, 1944 2,741,374 Morgan Apr. 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 681,629 Germany Sept. 7, 1939 

1. A TRAVELLING MANIPULATOR INCLUDING A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON WHEELS, TWO SHAFTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE, A CYLINDER AT EACH END OF EACH OF THE TWO SHAFTS, A FIXEDLY MOUNTED RAM PROJECTING INTO EACH OF SAID CYLINDERS, A LEVER RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID SHAFTS, A PISTON ROD PIVOTED ON EACH OF SAID LEVERS AND INTEGRAL WITH A PISTON MOUNTED WITHIN ITS OWN CYLINDERS, A PAIR OF ARMS RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFTS RESPECTIVELY, RESILIENT SUSPENSION MEANS DEPENDING FROM EACH ARM OF SAID PAIRS OF ARMS, A HOLDER CARRIED IN THE SAID SUSPENSION MEANS, A SHANK MOUNTED TO ROTATE IN THE HOLDER, CO-ACTING JAWS PIVOTED ON THE SHANK, A ROD CONNECTED TO SAID JAWS, A PISTON INTEGRAL WITH SAID ROD AND MOUNTED IN A CYLINDER, A PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE, A MOTOR AND A PUMP GEARED TO SAID MOTOR FOR CHARGING THE PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR, BOTH PUMP AND MOTOR BEING MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE, AND VALVED CONDUITS FROM THE PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR TO EACH OF SAID CYLINDERS. 